AceShowbiz -

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" has led the North American box office race this weekend, which is ended on Sunday, December 14. Dethroning "Four Christmases", the remake of Robert Wise's 1951 sci-fi thriller has debuted #1 with $30.5 million after three-days of screening at 3,560 theaters across the U.S.

Though securing the revenue chart's top position, the Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly-starrer movie could not pass the best-ever-bow-for-a-December-weekend record made by Will Smith's "I Am Legend", which opened to $77.2 million. Nonetheless, it is still the 20th Century Fox's biggest opening since "Horton Hears a Who!" debuted with $45 million back in March.

In its overseas sales, the special-effects actioner brought in approximately $39 million, scoring one of the bigger December openings for a non-family title or non-sequel. Commenting on the movie's success on having the total gross of about $70 million over the weekend, Fox senior VP of distribution Chris Aronson said, "Audiences were moved to see the Earth stand still. We're in orbit over this opening. To gross $70 million worldwide on a film that cost $80 million is fantastic."

Putting "The Day the Earth Stood Still" aside, "Four Christmases" slipped to the runner-up position, garnering $13.1 million on its third weekend screening to add to the total of $87.8 million. Meanwhile, "Twilight" dropped one spot to the third place with nearly $8 million more in its pocket. Declining 39.1|percent| in its sales revenue, the vampire drama collected $150 million.

Rounding up the top five were "Bolt" and "Australia" respectively. While "Bolt" raked in another $7.5 million over the weekend, "Australia" pulled in about three million less with $4.2 million. In addition, another newcomer, "Nothing Like the Holidays", debuted seventh on the chart garnering $3.5 million.

Top Ten Movies at Weekend Box Office for December 12 - 14:

1. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" - $30.5 million
2. "Four Christmases" - $13.1 million
3. "Twilight" - $7.95 million
4. "Bolt" - $7.5 million
5. "Australia" - $4.2 million
6. "Quantum of Solace" - $3.7 million
7. "Nothing Like the Holidays" - $3.5 million
8. "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" - $3.2 million
9. "Milk" - $2.6 million
10. "Transporter 3" - $2.4 million